Japan to halt operations at Hamaoka nuclear plant

PanARMENIAN.Net - Japan's prime minister has told a power company to halt operations at another nuclear plant due to fears an earthquake could trigger a new crisis.

Naoto Kan said three reactors at Hamaoka plant should be suspended until new safety measures were put in place. Experts said the chances of a powerful quake hitting the area were high.

Engineers are still working to stabilise the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, which was hit by the devastating earthquake and tsunami on 11 March.

A 20km mandatory evacuation zone has been put in place around the plant because of concern about radiation levels - forcing some 80,000 residents to leave their homes.

Addressing a news conference on Friday, Mr Kan said the five-reactor Hamaoka plant, operated by the Chubu Electric Power Company, had been ordered to suspend two running reactors and a third shut for a regular inspection.

The Hamaoka plant, which lies 200km (120 miles) south of Tokyo, is in Shizuoka prefecture - an area which seismologists say is overdue for an earthquake, BBC reported.